A conservation legacy

Sixteen energetic volunteers and an arsenal of donated equipment and tools made the Rainbow Ridge fuels reduction work day on Dec. 1 a success, according to a recent press release from the Shasta Valley Resource Conservation District (SVRCD)

Sixteen energetic volunteers and an arsenal of donated equipment and tools made the Rainbow Ridge fuels reduction work day on Dec. 1 a success, according to a recent press release from the Shasta Valley Resource Conservation District (SVRCD).

It was a rainy, overcast day, but a strong showing of volunteers were able to clear excess forest fuels and brush from approximately two acres on 80-year-old Thamar Wherrit’s property in the Rainbow Ridge forest stewardship area just west of Mount Shasta. In addition to clearing woody debris from the forest floor, volunteers removed limbs from the lower five feet of trees to reduce ladder fuels – the low hanging branches that can allow a ground fire to jump into a tree’s canopy, creating a much faster moving and more dangerous fire. The forest fuels were gathered into two large piles and burned on-site.

Wherrit – described by project organizers as a strong advocate for conservation – has begun the process of entering her 600-acre property into a conservation easement through the nonprofit Siskiyou Land Trust.

According to Siskiyou Land Trust Conservation Director Kathleen Hitt, once Wherrit’s easement is finalized, it will likely include a provision for public access. However, the access will be strategically limited in order to protect sensitive areas of the forest and will likely not begin until after Wherrit passes away.

What is a conservation easement?

A conservation easement (or conservation restriction) is a voluntary legal agreement between a landowner and a land trust that permanently restricts certain aspects of land use in order to protect the conservation values of the property. Landowners may either donate or sell a conservation easement. When a landowner places a conservation easement on his or her land, he or she maintains ownership and use of the property and can sell it or pass it on to heirs. The land is subject to certain restrictions agreed upon by the landowner and the land trust. For example, a landowner might agree to preclude a subdivision or restrict development on his or her property to a specific area. Like Wherrit’s property, some conservation easements may include language to provide public access to the property.

Conservation easements attach to the land. Therefore, future landowners are bound by these specific promises as well, and the land trust administering the easement is responsible for monitoring the property and upholding the terms of the easement.

According to the Siskiyou Land Trust, conservation easements have become one of the most commonly used land conservation tools in Siskiyou County. Currently, local and regional land trusts hold more than 11,600 conservation easements, protecting more than 5 million acres of land.

Contrary to a common misconception, Hitt says land owners with conservation easements on their property do still pay property taxes. However, depending on the circumstances of the easement and state tax laws, landowners may be eligible for an income tax deduction, an estate tax benefit and/or a possible reduction in property taxes.

Page 2 of 2 - What about agricultural land?

Agricultural land may also be placed in a conservation easement for the purpose of preserving conservation values through rangeland and grazing land uses, irrigated cropland uses, open space character, scenic qualities, riparian corridors, wildlife and forest resources.

In 2010, after several years of negotiations, the Siskiyou Land Trust completed the 5,680-acre Plank/Whipple conservation easement agreement. This vast tract of agricultural land is located approximately two miles from Etna in Scott Valley. Both the Plank and Whipple ranches were historically operated as cattle ranches. A previous owner of the ranch, Enos Young, acquired the ranch in 1893 for his sons to raise cattle for his butcher shop in the town of Etna. Consistent with this history, the ranches are being converted back to more of a grazing based operation from its predominately hay oriented operations of the last few decades.

These ranches are also home to a wide array of wildlife. The Scott River, which is home to Chinook and coho salmon, runs through the easement. This attracts eagles, osprey, owls and numerous species of hawks, as well as many mammal species. Roosevelt elk have also been seen roaming in the fields of the Plank and Whipple ranches. With the establishment of the conservation easement, these priceless values of agriculture and wildlife will be permanently preserved and protected.

What’s next?

The SVRCD and Siskiyou Land Trust said while lots of work was accomplished at the Rainbow Ridge volunteer work day, there is still plenty more to do. The partnering organizations plan to hold another fuels reduction event on the Wherrit property early next year. Potential volunteers can join the forest stewardship mailing list or suggest other locations (including your neighborhood) for volunteer events by calling 926-2259 or by emailing strawberria@gmail.com.

For more information about conservation easements, visit the Siskiyou Land Trust at siskiyoulandtrust.org or call 926-2259.